


The Sun Rose

by Elybell



Series: They moved through the fair [1]
Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Everyone dies BUT NOT REALLY, F/F, Prologue, Reincarnation, comfort/hurt/comfort, smttf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:08:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28317972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elybell/pseuds/Elybell
Summary: [She Moved Through the Fair PROLOGUE]When the world was not yet what we know now and neither Spirit nor Human existed on the face of the Earth, everything was different.The stars were still far away, focused on worlds that required their care and attention. Seas were there where the earth is now, high mountains rose majestically in different places where now there is desert. In the middle of the ocean, like patches of paradise, many islands were admired, but three in particular were bigger and more important than all the others, as they were the center of the Power of the world.
Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn, Tally Craven/Glory Moffett
Series: They moved through the fair [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073930
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	The Sun Rose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scarromanoff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarromanoff/gifts).



> Today it's Christams, that means I can be cheesy and soft. This is the prologue for She Moved Through the Fair; everything here happened thousands of years before the actual story, but, as you might already know, nothing in the universe of smttf is truly disconnected. I can only say Enjoy guys!  
> But now I finally get to say this and no one can stop me, not even you. This might be the not-so-secret last gift under your tree.  
> The only reason why you guys can read this prologue is because someone stole my heart. The title is pretty clear, you love the sun rose and I shall give you everything you ask for. I thought of writing something for them since october, I think an entire prologue dedicated uniquely to this incredible creature of the night can be a good gift? Is it enough? You've always given so many incredible reactions and support, fun times, challenges and the biggest smiles, every day. Your words were always so lovely and I, sometimes, continued writing just because of you.  
> We could say this piece of work is full of plot, yes, but also full of you. Details only you notice and love.  
> I truly hope you'll like it, it is my only wish. Merry Christmas, love.

_When the world was not yet what we know now and neither Spirit nor Human existed on the face of the Earth, everything was different._

_The stars were still far away, focused on worlds that required their care and attention. Seas were there where the earth is now, high mountains rose majestically in different places where now there is desert. In the middle of the ocean, like patches of paradise, many islands were admired, but three in particular were_ _bigger and_ _more important than all the others, as they were the_ _center_ _of the Power of the world._

_These islands, now, no longer_ _are part of the world_ _and their memory is almost non-existent because_ _,_ _back then, even Nature did not possess form or memory, since those who inhabited the Earth were wise and_ _judicious_ _creatures_ _and did not_ _or could not_ _die according to mortal laws_ _: t_ _heir existence began from ancient times and would continue like this until they wished_ _to_ _or something deadly happened._

_Living beings were divided in two species and these species had different qualities, jobs, features and purposes:_ _t_ _here were the_ _Atlará_ _, generally priests_ _, guardians_ _or keepers of the Crystals and the N_ _à_ _rya, the explorers, the sc_ _ientists_ _._

_In the past these two ethnic groups had lived apart, but over time they had decided to get closer and learn from each other, even if they kept intact the tradition of living in separate places, as it was right to do. They met during the day, they worked together_ _when it was required_ _, but they did not mix with each other, since it was not wise to create a kind of_ _hybrids_ _, which_ _meaning of life would not be clear_ _._

_But, as is well known, some laws are good and just, they prevent_ _c_ _haos and destruction, while others are only dictated by the fear of the future, of the uncontrollable, and some have no reason to exist_ _at all_ _. While there was no clear obligation or prohibition, none of the N_ _à_ _rya mixed with the_ _Atlará_ _and vice versa. So it_ _happened for_ _many, many solar cycles._

_Someone, however, disobeyed the invisible prohibition, and this story speaks of them, as well as of those lives intertwined with_ _them_ _, since it is the origin of many things._

Laramie dropped to her knees, placing one hand on the ground and helping herself to stay balanced. The day promised to be bright and sunny, and from there it was possible to feel the sea breeze passing the beach, the small grove of palm trees and reaching those cultivated fields. The woman dipped her fingers into the earth and began to pick the vegetables she would need that day. As she placed them in the basket nearby she looked up at the great mountain that overlooked the town, a few miles from there; an intense blue ray shot from the top, up to the sky, disappearing into the enormity of the cosmos.

Laramie resumed her work, rubbing the back of her hand against her sunburned forehead from those days gone by. Her pale skin still hadn't gotten used to the warmth of Poseida's sun even if she lived there from how many years now? 800, 900 years circa? Her dark obsidian hair did nothing but attract the sun's rays even more to her head. As close as the two islands were, the climate on Nàryan was very different.

She pulled up the sleeves of her dress to avoid getting too dirty with earth and continued her work until she had everything she and her family would need.

After about an hour she stood up, her knees were sore from the position she had been in all that time, so she decided to take a walk along the path that hugged the coast of the rocky precipice from which anyone could see the vastness of the sea, brilliant under the rays of that hot sun and the same intense blue color of the sky. She left the basket unguarded, there in the field. Nobody was going to touch it, and then that piece of land belonged to them, another motive why there was no reason to worry. She ran her hands over her clothes at the height of her knees and started walking towards the path keeping her hands behind her back, while the good air of nature and sea entered her body through nose and mouth. Laramie took a deep breath, smiling, and left the cool grass to walk the soft, fertile ground of the path. On the way she met two Atlará immersed in their dialogues, dressed in the typical light colored clothes; both wore the gold sun pendant on the forehead. They greeted her gently with a short bow and a smile, putting a hand on their chest. Laramie returned the greeting in the same way, she did not use the typical one of her people, the Nàrya.

After a while she returned home, when the morning was in full splendor. The heavy fabric that served as a door was pushed aside and she entered the main room, which was circular in shape; the walls were of a particular mixture of earth, rocks and straw mixed with clay, the perfect material for keeping the internal temperature intact in any season. Walking towards the table,she glanced at the still dark room that looked directly into the space, realizing nothing had changed since she left, hours ago. Their home was not very big or luxuriant but it was still richer than many others because Ēli was one of the keepers on Poseida, their Island.

The Nàrya put away her instruments in silence, trying to make as little noise as possible as she passed the open arch of the darkened room, then she headed for the exit to resume the daily activities, but as soon as she pulled the curtain aside she found herself in front of Igla.

The woman, much taller than her, had tanned skin -even if in her youth it was darker- exactly like Ēli, but her hair reached the middle of her back, tightened intermittently by small golden bark bands.

“Igla, ave” Laramie smiled and touched her forehead with two fingers, greeting her according to the Nàrya tradition. Igla corresponded by placing a hand over her heart.

"Ave, Amie. Is my sister already at the Temple?"

"No, she's still sleeping"

A line crossed Igla's forehead and her lips pursed slightly as she placed a hand on Laramie's arm.

"Can I come in? It is urgent"

The woman standing in the doorway looked straight into the bright, wise brown eyes of the Atlará keeper and nodded, stepping aside. "Sure, take a seat"

As soon as Igla crossed the threshold she walked decisively inside the dark room with large determined steps, making swing the long white tunic she wore, the one that every Keeper wore, and opened the window, thus letting coming in from that new opening all the sunlight of the east.

On the large birch wood bed, stretched comfortably among light and delicate blankets, colored in every shade of the sky at dawn, was Isira'ēli, her younger sister, who immediately covered herself from that source of light with one arm and turned sideways, groaning, pulling the sheets with her and thus exposing her bare back.

"Mh... five more minutes.."

Igla put her hands on her hips, snorting.

"Ēli, you have to get up immediately, not in five minutes"

The sleeping woman stretched out her arm and felt tentatively on the now empty part of the bed on her left.

"Where is Laramie... Why are you here" she muttered in a low voice, drawing the words and mixing them with each other.

"I'm here" Laramie sat on the edge of the soft mattress beside the half-asleep woman, poking her fingers through Ēli's dark blond hair, leaving what she held in her arms on the ground. The Keeper crawled up to her on the bed, keeping her eyes closed, and rested her head on Laramie’s legs, then sighed, while her arms encircled the other woman's hips as best she could.

"Good. Igla, go away"

Igla did not move from there, however, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Get dressed, little sister. We need to talk about the new Nàrya gimmick. Now."

Laramie looked up as soon as she heard the name of her lineage. Ēli also opened one eye.

"Did they try to find Laramie again?" The guardian lost all trace of sleep from her voice and lifted herself up on one elbow, suddenly interested. Laramie handed her her clothes, while Igla turned slightly so as not to invade their private sphere and because it was not in her interest to see her sister naked.

"I looked at the sea this morning, but I didn't see any ships," Laramie said looking at her partner, then looked up at her sister-in-law, frowning. "What happened?"

Meanwhile, Ēli got dressed and got out of bed, joining her sister standing by the window. They were equal in stature, but Igla's earth-colored hair highlighted the bronze shades of her skin, while Isira'ēli's dark blonde hair illuminated every golden reflection on her cheekbones, eyelids, forehead. Laramie lost herself watching them for a moment, standing close, tall and beautiful, discussing what the eldest had discovered, and so part of the conversation was gone.

“.. Izdaja has every day more and more influence on Cora. Taaliah heard her talking to him yesterday"

"What?" Laramie walked over to them, putting her arm around Isira'ēli's hips. The keeper turned her head to her.

"Izdaja is trying to convince the keepers to let him use the Crystals"

The brunette widened her eyes, moving them to Igla, who nodded briefly.

"They want to experiment with new techniques, they say we are not using the maximum potential of the satellites and stars"

“No. This is forbidden and every Nàrya knows why. Why didn't Cora tell me about it?" Laramie's face darkened, thoughtful, and the moon jewel on her forehead shone a little dimmer.

"She probably knows you would have told Ēli" Igla replied simply, shrugging.

"How did you know?" The woman next to Laramie looked hard at her sister, trying to understand how reliable that information was and if it was really appropriate to take action in this regard.

"Taaliah herself told me this morning through the Red Crystal while I was going to the Temple"

Laramie stiffened.

"It's terrible. If that is true, I must find Cora immediately and talk to her, persuade her not to."

Ēli wrapped her shoulders with one arm, hugging her. "Be careful that Izdaja is not present, or he will definitely report you"

"Of course" The brunette placed a quick kiss on her cheek and walked away, leaving the two Keepers alone.

Poseida was calm, all the inhabitants continued to live their day in full normality, unaware of the threat that weighed on them. If what Igla had said was true, if Taaliah had not lied and Cora was serious about following Izdaja in his crazy ideas typical of the most extreme Nàrya, everyone was in danger. Even the peaceful inhabitants of Og, the third and smallest island of the Three, located west of Poseida.

Laramie walked briskly through the town, where glass and crystal alternated with rock and earth, creating an environment suitable for the life of all races. There, Atlará and Nàrya found themselves in equal measure, each immersed in their own tasks, each following their own path. They weren't exactly enemies, but they differed in many ways, and the Nàrya were by nature more rebellious and nonconformist than the Atlará. Not that this was a bad thing, since the three-island civilization did not tolerate racism, segregation or any kind of censorship. Most of the Atlará were dedicated to the protection of the eight Crystals, located scattered on the three islands; each guardian had a different job: who looked after them, who listened to them, who transported them and who guarded them with life. Unfortunately and fortunately, Ēli belonged to the family that traditionally had always kept the Three main crystals. The Blue one, the Yellow one and the Red one. Instead, Laramie was born on the Nàryan island and her family was a lineage of researchers and scientists, some even oracles or seers, devoted to the study of the powers and management of the powers of crystals. She knew what the Three were capable of. They could control climate, nature, the rotation of the planet, the proximity of the stars, the will of individual beings. Playing with these things was not a trivial matter, only a madman would have done it, also because it would have meant having no respect for the Gods, for the power and self-sufficiency of nature and the laws of life, according to which no living being can be subjugated to the will of any.

Laramie increased the length of her steps, letting her dark hair swing over her shoulders, heading for the Temple, where she would surely find Cora.

She found her sister in one of the nearest blue rooms, immersed in a profound reading on the Blue Crystal, the one placed in a cave at the top of the mountain, the one that Isira'ēli guarded with her life.

"Cora, good morning" Laramie approached her with a simple smile as she pulled back her long dark hair into a tail, showing herself intent on starting work. Cora, hearing her voice, quickly closed the tome and uncomfortably stood up from her seat, facing her older sister.

“Sister, good morning. Did you rest well?"

Laramie walked over to her desk, letting her eyes ran on the cover’s writings.

“Yes, indeed, thank you. What are you working on?"

Cora put her hand on the book, covering the title and preventing her sister from opening it if she wanted to.

"Nothing, just curiosity" Her eyes, however, weren't as bright as usual, Laramie knew for sure she was lying. Even the moon-shaped jewel on the forehead was darker and did not capture the light of the blue liquid crystals that flowed inside the walls, giving the room the air of being immersed under the surface of the clear water surrounding the main Isle.

"What are you doing, Cora?" Laramie put on a pained expression when she set her eyes anew on her sister. That was enough for Cora to understand that the older woman knew. Everything.

She took the book and held it against her chest, tightly.

“You don't understand, Amie. They want all the power for themselves, no one enters the crystal room apart from them, we don't know how they use it. We could do so much! Their power is enormous, you have no idea.. "

“It’s not so simple, Cora, you know it very well. Was it Izdaja who told you, who convinced you?"

The girl, if she could be called that given her five hundred years of age, hardened her gaze and stepped back, walking away.

“Don't try to tell me what's best for me, Laramie. You're just like our mother. He is not evil, he is one of us"

Laramie gritted her teeth. In her mind she could still hear the voice of the loving woman who had brought her into the world a thousand years earlier, who had recently disappeared. The First Atlará had always held her advices in high regard, so her death was a severe blow to everyone, and the investigations, which were rarely done, had led back to Izdaja.

"Cora, Izdaja may also be a Nàrya, but he's an extremist, not-"

"Look who’s talking. You betrayed your lineage by choosing an Atlará. At least I'm not inside a union that goes against the law"

Laramie stopped, clenching her fists tightly and looking around cautiously. Her relationship with Isira'ēli was not truly a secret, but it was nevertheless not well regarded, especially by her own people.

"There is no written rule, Cora"

“Not in the Atlará books, perhaps. But on ours, there is. The Nàrya don’t say anything only because she is the Keeper of the Blue” The younger sister hinted a mocking smile after watching closely Laramie’s saddened expression. It was only a moment, but Laramie noticed it, and her soul worried. What was happening, so quickly and unexpected? They lived in peace for centuries, why was she acting that way now?

“Cora, I'm just here to warn you. Crystals are not something you can play with. They have an essence within them, a living conscience, and that must be protected, as it keeps everything on earth safe and in balance. The Blue, especially."

“Is that what Isira'ēli tells you every day? Have you never even questioned her words for a moment?"

"No” Laramie immediately felt her guard raised at the mention of the woman. “She would never lie to me, we both swore it when we decided to walk life together"

“You are blind, sister. All Atlará lie about Crystals. They have everything, while we are entitled to the crumbs"

Laramie took a step toward her, distressed.

“What are you saying, Cora? You're raving! When did you begin thinking like this?"

A group of people passed along the corridor outside the room and threw a look inside, intrigued by the tones of the two women. Laramie noticed them and composed herself, assuming a conflicted expression towards her sister, while Cora hugged the book to her chest and walked away from her.

“You'll see, sister. You'll agree with me one day."

That same evening, when she had finished her day's work, Laramie hurried home to report the incident to Ēli but, when she returned, her companion had not yet came home from the upper Temple. The work of the Keepers was long and tiring, the blonde often returned late at night, drained and exhausted. Whenever it happened they lied in bed together and shared their energy, each day in a different way. They gave and received, and with it also flowed awareness, experience, power. This is why it was not recommended to unite between the two lineages, as not only emotions but also skills, genetic traits and notions could flow through that bond. A Nàrya could not know the secrets of the Keepers of the Crystals, just as an Atlará could not understand the mechanisms and functionality of worldly experimentation. Yet, Laramie and Isira'ēli did so every day. Laramie, she had to admit, did not understand very well the whole story related to the spirits of essences and the great and immense metaphysical side of existence, but to every question her companion answered with wisdom and patience. Ēli, on the other hand, had no idea what all the knowledge and philosophy that Laramie transmitted to her was, but it was enough for her to see the cheerful and enthusiastic Nàrya explaining to her how one of the foundations of sacred geometry worked to feel satisfied. Others would not have been able to contain so many informations. The two species existed for this exact reason: to separate life purposes and to keep it that way. Because those who had power couldn't have tools and those with tools hadn't power. Perfect balance. Absence of possibility of chaos.

And for this reason, the two of them were among the very few mixed couples to be together through life.

Laramie was in bed, immersed in the dark after eating her meal, and lay awake staring at the ceiling. When they built their house she asked Ēli to do something for her, it was actully the only request she made about the building of the mansion: to make the ceiling of their bedroom out of transparent crystal, to be able to watch the stars every night before falling asleep. That night, the sky was truly magnificent and looking at the stars managed to calm her. One in particular always shone with a distant blue light, it always cought her eye; her increasingly calmer breaths accompanied the mind that reflected on the words her sister said that morning. She didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she slowly woke up, called by the voice of her companion who was lying beside her. It was late at night.

“Forgive me, I didn't want to wake you up” Ēli sighed with pleasure as soon as her back was finally resting on the soft bed. Laramie turned on her side, brushing her hair back on the pillow, and placed her head on the woman's shoulder, while the blonde drew her closer and began to run warm fingers lightly on the bare skin of her shoulder and arm.

“I've been feeling your concern all day, my love. What's happened?" Ēli turned her head, letting her lips rest on Laramie’s forehead and speaking in a low voice.

“Igla was right. Cora is following Izdaja, she says that the Atlará are selfish, that they only use the crystals for themselves. I'm afraid she could do something very dangerous, Ēli"

The other remained silent for a few seconds, breathing slowly. She turned her head back to watch the ceiling and stared at an empty spot.

“Atlarás aren't perfect, that's for sure. Many are wondering if Izdaja is right. Their minds are falling, they lose wisdom every day"

“It is fortunate, then, that you are the keeper of the blue.”

Laramie sighed, tracing endless lines on the skin of her partner's bared chest with slow, repetitive motions of the fingers. Where the fingertip passed, it left a trail of dim light behind it. Through those movements it was possible to trace ancient symbols of power according to one's need. Laramie drew one to calm Isira'ēli's troubled heart, over her breasts.

“I hope it's just words. I hope they do not commit acts that will lead to our ruin” the brunette whispered, closing her eyes, prey to a strange and distant premonition.

The blonde kissed her forehead again, listening to her words, which had always been dictated by her formidable vision. None of the Nàrya could count on Laramie's foresight, so they kept trying to take her away, to get her back on Nàryan.

"Everything will be fine. I promised to protect you, now and forever. And so I will"

Laramie, before sinking into sleep, thought that if they came to a battle for the protection of the crystals, she would be the one to defend her at all costs, since no Atlará was allowed to defend through violence, only through sacrifice.

The days passed, and so did the weeks. Isira'ēli would wake up in the morning, greet Laramie with a kiss, or ten, or thousands, and go to the Temple with her sister Igla every two days. The eldest then went to Nàryan, where the yellow crystal was kept. Taaliah was rarely with them since Og, house of the red crystal, was the island furthest away and traveling back and forth was more demanding and complicated, so she only visited her sisters a few times a month.

That day the sky was particularly blue, a sign that the activity of the crystal was very intense. Maybe too intense. Isira'ēli walked looking up, searching for traces of clouds, but found none in any direction. Finally she returned with her eyes on the visible path between the great white and gray rocks that rose from the earth; beyond the inhabited center, the ground became more rugged and steep, many needed a walking stick to overcome that long climb, but not the Keepers, who were used to walking it since the early years of their existence.

After half an hour she arrived at the top of the mountain, entering the tunnel and thus accessing the upper part of the Temple, which started from the slopes with a structure built by the Atlará and stretched upwards, using the large natural caves that had always existed and subsequently structured in base to the needs of those who carried out their mission there.

She found Necostan, her teacher, waiting for her sitting on a rock in the middle of the way. He was one of the oldest and wisest Atlarás and he had been, before Isira'ēli, the keeper of the Blue Crystal. Now he just helped and taught her, preparing the woman’s mind and body to accept the entire power of the Blue. As always, he stood up and started walking with his severe air.

"Come on, we need to talk"

The woman, a simple girl if their ages were compared, nodded and followed him to the top of the mountain, along the natural stairway they used to climb to reach the crystal.

"Did you know what the Nàrya are planning?"

Necostan started talking and she instantly lowered her eyes, sighing. For a moment she thought that maybe she should have talked to him about her worries on the matter before that day, it was never wise to leave him clueless about things.

"Yes, I have known for a while. However, I have never expressed personal opinions, even when I hear the other keepers talking about it"

"Good. If they heard you doing it, it would be serious. You are the keeper of the Blue, which is like saying that you are the Keeper who guides all the other keepers, here. Always rememeber that"

Isira'ēli nodded thoughtfully, climbing the last steps after Necostan and arriving at the Crystal cave. The natural environment was always humid and fresh; there, the air was much purer than what everyone normally breathed outside the mountain because it was the Crystal itself that produced it. Its Keeper aged much slower than all the others, and in general, each Keeper of the Blue lived even longer and aged slower than the guardians of the other crystals, as the Blue was the most powerful, as well as being the one who led and commanded the other seven. Only the Red and the Yellow came close to it in power, so they were taken and placed in the main Temples of the Islands in ancient times, while the remaining five were simply scattered over the territory of Og, Poseida and Nàryan in places of worship and constantly guarded by the Nàrya.

Perhaps, Izdaja almost managed to win for that reason, later on.

“Master, a question” Ēli, as the two approached the crystal, walked side by side with him.

"Tell me"

"What would happen if the Crystals were used by someone who isn’t pure or... for selfish reasons and not to maintain balance?"

Necostan leaned on his long twisted root that he used as a stick and ran a hand over his long white beard, in stark contrast to the dark skin of his face. On his forehead shone the same golden jewel that his pupil wore.

“Crystals are what have been given to us by the Gods of the Cosmos to bring balance to the chaos of the world. They possess enormous and uncontrollable power. In each of them lives the spirit of an Atlará or a Nàrya, as you well know. Wise and resistant spirits who have chosen to give their life to the service of the future. Otherwise it would have been impossible to tame their power only from the outside. This is written in the sacred texts” Necostan took a breath, pondering his words. “You must know, now, that the Atlará Spirit who lives and controls the Blue Crystal from within... is one of your ancestor, Ēli."

"What?" The woman fixed her gaze on the Crystal, big as two palms put close together, whose light shone brightly and spread throughout the large and high cavern piercing the top with its straight ray. “Is it..?”

"It is"

"Why haven't you ever told me this before, master?"

"Because it was the will of the Atlará inside the crystal"

Isira'ēli nodded, accepting that truth without problem or perplexity. If she was learning about it right now it meant it was time, there was no point in pining for not having known before.

"How come you tell me right now?"

Necostan sat calmly on a rock, stretching his legs and resting both hands on the top of the curved root, fixing his eyes full of golden reflections in the luminous ones of the young woman.

"Laramie saw something, didn't she?"

The Keeper blinked in surprise. She had never told her teacher that she and Laramie were united, much less what Laramie's gifts were or what they were talking about, but Necostan had a particular gift when it came to intuition. He smiled at her calmly, raising a hand in peace and listening.

“I've known this for a long time, I see it everywhere in you. You cannot hide something so powerful, Ēli. It makes you stronger and that's good, knowing what your mission is"

But she still didn't understand how this had anything to do with what they were talking about.

“Laramie's visions are worth considering, Ēli. Tell your sisters, too. Talk about it"

Having said that, he closed himself in a hermetic silence of meditation, so long that Isira'ēli, after a few moments of thought, prepared to approach the Crystal for the daily energy management.

"To answer your question.."

The master spoke to her as she turned to the light source, catching her attention again.

“If someone wanted to use the Crystal for a purpose that is not right, they would first have to get rid of the spirit that lives within it, summon it and bring it back to the world. But in that way, the spirit would almost certainly die, the power released would be indescribable and, frankly, unknown. I hope this never happens."

The Keeper stared at him for a long time before starting her duty, thinking of Laramie’s sleepless nights, in which she always woke up sweaty, screaming, and told her between moans and tears of fire falling from the sky, of water that submerged the earth, of earth that sank into the void... of the end of the world.

That evening, Isira'ēli came home walking slowly, thoughtfully. She reflected on what Necostan the Master had told her, on the spirit of the Blue Crystal who was her ancestor. She knew of the sacrifice of the Firsts, but did not think it was one of her lineage.

She entered her property still full of thoughts, but the voices she heard coming from inside the house intrigued her and managed to distract her from those deep considerations for a while. She pulled the entrance curtain aside and a wave of warmth and delicious food scent welcomed her home: there was still a lot of light coming in from the many windows and the air she breathed as soon as she entered was of pure joy. Laramie saw her and the smile that was already on her face widened on the limits of possible. She walked up to her, immediately asking for a kiss.

"You came back earlier today, that’s a pleseant surprise... look who came to visit us"

The blonde reciprocated her with a sweet smile, wrapping her in her arms and kissing her intensely. Centuries had passed, but the joy of being reunited always felt the same. When she drew back, Laramie looked at her dazed and a bit worried, having sensed her thoughts through their contact, but Isira'ēli shook her head imperceptibly, letting her know that they would talk later, when they were alone. After that silent agreement she felt free to peep past the figure of her companion and saw, seated at the table, Taaliah, her younger sister, and Ære, Taaliah's companion and friend since their childhood.

"Sister! Ære! What a joy!" The Keeper opened her arms, walking briskly towards her sister, who got up laughing from her seat and hugged her tightly, a hug to which Ære was added after a moment.

“What are you doing here? What is the occasion? Ære, I haven't seen you in a lifetime, how are you doing on Og?"

The younger Atlará shrugged, laughing.

"Well, it's not like living in Poseida, it's wet and rainy for half a calendar year and frozen for the other, what do you think?"

Ēli patted him on the shoulder, smiling jovially. "My sister got you in a really big trouble"

"What are you saying, Ēli?" Taaliah pushed her playfully, "He decided to come with me on his own initiative, I never forced him"

"She's right, as you never forced me to stay in Poseida after I was the one to court you." Laramie joined the group, surrounding her Atlará with her arms from behind.

"Oh, does the truth finally come out?" Ære laughed, looking at her two old friends, while Isira'ēli disguised her embarrassment with a stammering, hardly believable excuse.

When the greetings were over and everyone sat at the table waiting for Igla, who had been informed by Laramie of her sister's visit, the tones became calmer and more serious, and the only Nàrya in the room took every opportunity to ask Ēli why her mind was not at peace with silent looks, but the Keeper ignored her, unwilling to make the evening unpleasant or heavy.

"How's the Red Crystal custody going, Taaliah?" The older sister asked her at one point, apparently disinterested.

“All good, I would say. I am not the First Keeper as you well know, but everything is good, all in order. Why?"

“For no reason, I was curious. The Master sends you his greetings"

Taaliah pulled two locks of fire-colored hair behind her ears, resting her elbows on the table and her head on her open hands.

"Oh, thank you! How is Necostan? Always old?"

Ēli chuckled, fiddling with Laramie's fingers on her leg. "Never let him know you said these words, or I risk losing the position of First Guardian of the Blue"

“He would never do that" Laramie winked at her, smiling mischievously. "Everyone knows that you have always been his favorite" And so a general laugh ensued, in which everyone decided that embarrassing Isira'ēli would be the primary purpose of that evening. All the more so with the arrival of Igla, a few minutes later, who began to tell of all the times in which Necostan had always justified the reckless actions of their youth, but increasingly those of her younger sister.

It was pleasant to spend time with the family. For a few hours, the dark future that awaited all the inhabitants of all the islands receded, or so it was for them, who spent that evening amidst laughter, joy and affection.

Ære asked Laramie about her mother, offered her condolences. Although the woman had disappeared for several months now, this was the first time that Ære visited them since the incident, and for immortal beings, a few months passed very quickly.

"I still remember all the times I saw her, she was so kind and gentle... like the day I first saw her. Enchanting." Taaliah fixed her gaze on a random spot on the ceiling, smiling absently, lost in those memories. Ēli turned to her partner, smiling sweetly at her, an expression that Laramie returned calmly. It no longer hurt as much as it did in the early days.

"I don’t know about you, but I remember very vividly when she scolded her daughter because she tried to impress an impertinent and brazen Atlará who challenged her to dive into the sea from the northern high coast" Igla interrupted her youngest sister, looking sideways at the two people in question. Laramie laughed, raising her eyebrows.

“I don't do those things anymore. I am over a thousand years old now. However, I must admit that that Atlará was really worth the punishment I received that day"

Everyone laughed heartly and Ēli looked down, smiling and hiding her slight blushing. She squeezed Laramie’s hand, giving her a quick glance full of the emotion that the memory of their youth had brought to her heart.

The family remained united until after sunset, but when the last ships moored on the coasts blew their horns, the sisters were forced to separate, called to their duty. Taaliah and Ære were the first to take their leave, Og being the farthest island. Igla left them a little later, headed for the ship that would take her back to the Temple of the island of Nàryan, where she was part of the group of Keepers of the Yellow Crystal.

Only when the house was silent and the curtain now motionless did the two women look at each other, aware of the speech that would come.

"What is it, Ēli?"

The blonde sat back in a chair, running her hands over her face, tired.

"Necostan, today, told me that inside the Blue Crystal there is not just any spirit, but that of an ancestor of mine"

Laramie sat down on her legs, her arm wrapped around her neck, and smiled.

"That is great!" However, when she saw her companion's face still tense, she took a better look at her. "Is there more?"

Isira'ēli did not care, as she never did, about the secret to which the Keepers were bound, because she had always shared everything with her other half.

“He knows about us. He-"

Laramie immediately stiffened at those words, but Ēli shook her head, soothing her. "He has never touched on the subject again. Rather, he told me about what has been troubling us for too many weeks."

Laramie understood immediately what she was talking about and the silvery crystal on her forehead became duller than many other times before.

“Does Necostan feel it too? What did he see? Is something really going to happen?"

Ēli did not feel like telling her that everything was fine this time, because in her heart she knew that that would not be the truth and they always told each other the truth. She knew something was going to happen and from that moment on, the world would change. She just didn't know what, when, or by whom. Obviously her first thought was for..

"Do you think Cora and Izdaja will do something?" Laramie apparently shared her own thoughts. The Nàrya looked out the window to her home island, where her sister and her companion, if she could call him that way, went every night.

Ēli sighed, squeezing the hips of the woman sitting on her legs, and looked in the same direction.

“I trust your visions, Amie. I'm sure something will happen. I don't know when, but ... I think we must be ready for anything "

-.-.-.-.-

_Several_ _years_ _before_ _,_ _M_ _emor_ _ial_ _of the Descent_ _Day_

Laramie stood next to her mother, both wearing a beautiful white and blue dress, the two differed only in the number of jewels they wore. Laramie was only a hundred years old, she could not yet define herself as an adult among the Nàrya, yet her posture and bearing was proud and erect, even a little detached. Her mother put a hand on her shoulder, surrounding her with an arm.

"Relax, Laramie. It'll be fine"

The young woman nodded, trying to look calm, but the reality was different and her mother smiled seeing her agitated expression under the layer of impassibility.

“You just need to maintain your center. The Atlará are not as Izdaja described them, you know? And Poseida... I believe it to be just the most beautiful place on earth"

Laramie turned her head for a moment, noticing the enchanted smile on her mother’s visage. She pursed her lips and nodded again, faster than before, returning to observe the great island they were about to reach: the most majestic and brilliant between the Three, whose shores shone, kissed by sunlight. From where they were, in the open sea, everyone could see the high cliffs of white rock, the green grass caressed by the fresh wind, the long marble stairways and the white columns of a white that existed only there, the same color of the high stuatues. The crowns of the trees were flourishing and gave refreshment in their shade, the flowers were large and adorned by thousand petals, of every variety and color. The birds circled over the shoreline, welcoming the ships that arrived there every day from every other island.

That was Poseida, the Great Island, the one who had been given the custody of the Blue Crystal, the Crystal of Crystals, the one who had control over all the others, similar in intensity but not in power. There lived the Atlará, Keepers and First to descend to Earth from the cosmos.

There was always a first time for the inhabitants of the other islands to come to Poseida. For Laramie, that was hers. Each of the new born within the first five hundred years of age had to visit and be officially introduced to Poseida, to one of the families of the Guardians. Laramie did not quite understand the reason for these formalities, but her mother had always held the people of the Firsts in high regard, and she had never doubted her mother's judgment, as the woman was good, wise and just, being herself one of the First Nàrya. She had had a companion when she was younger, with whom she had wanted to have a daughter, but that man had a difficult mission and couldn’t be with her, so the story of Laramie's birth always remained a bit of a mystery. Zea -this was the name of her mother- never told in detail what had really happened, as it was forbidden, or so she always said to her daughter. One day Laramie would meet her father without her even knowing, but at one hundred years old she was still young, she had other problems and that morning, her life would change forever.

The ship touched the light sand, continued moving forward for a few meters, as if it had its own legs, and stopped once the wood of the hull was completely out of the water and exposed to the sun. The Nàrya got off the boat calmly, many had already been there, but for Laramie, this was the first time and the agitation she felt as soon as her feet touched the sand was real.

“See, Laramie? Nothing to worry about. Look at it " Her mother took her kindly by the hand, accompanying her on the path she walked almost every day for many years, while her daughter looked around with wide eyes, half-closed mouth and turning her head left and right every two seconds. There were so many colors compared to the sandy and red earth of Nàrya. So many scents, such a different peace...

That was the perfect place to live. That was the perfect place, period.

The sky appeared bluer, the air was clear and clean, the lungs relaxed and expanded, enjoying life. The heart was completely calm.

Walking on the bright and warm steps in the sun made her feel like she was inside a dream, a beautiful dream from which she never wanted to wake up. And the trees, large, majestic, some more, some less, but all beautiful and slightly moved by the wind; and the soft grass along the way and the small candid squares where the people met, and the first houses, circular, high and low, colored with the colors of the crystals, or left white; and then again the open, small, columned temples, close to the cliff, the marble statues of the Firsts and the Gods, so tall and treated in detail, and the butterflies everywhere, and the birds with the great wingspan, flying up, high in the sky.

Laramie felt that this was her place, not Nàryan. Zea smiled, momentarily observing her daughter's enchanted expression, and took a breath, looking around her once again, remembering the times that had been.

"Zea, there you are!"

The woman looked straight back at the road, as did Laramie, in direction of a person approaching them who, surely, Laramie thought, must have been an Atlará: her skin, amber colored, was darker than theirs and her hair was dark blond, shoulder length. She wore enchanting clothes, probably those of the Keepers; on her forehead shone a jewel similar to theirs but made of gold chain, in the center of which there was a very small sun shape that sparkled under the rays of the morning sun. That woman was beaming and smiling, but not exuberant; she brought with her a calm energy, a grounding that Laramie had never felt in anyone else, except perhaps in her mother.

"Eda, Ave!" Zea raised one hand to greet the other woman, bringing her daughter back to the present moment. Laramie became aware of having to pay attention to the meeting and felt a little of Poseida's magic running away from her. She stepped back a step, letting the two greet each other, and studied the two figures who were walking with the Atlará woman. They were probably the daughters.

Clinging to her dress was a very young girl with fiery hair, ruffled and disheveled: she looked really young, she must not have been more than thirty years old. Her face, slightly lighter in complexion than the one of the mother, was cheerful and attentive, a future Keeper. Next to her there was another girl who must have been about Laramie's age, at least judging from her appearance: her skin was darker than that of the very young girl and also that of the woman; her bearing was proud and elegant and her features showed a strong character. Laramie saw them just in time, she was able to observe some details before another figure was added to the group, hidden behind the woman. Laramie saw nothing else. And all her life, she never saw anyone else other than her.

The Atlará saw her too, her gaze fixed on Laramie’s shiny deep blue eyes.

That woman had light brown, golden skin, but it was a different gold than her blond hair, ruffled like that of the little girl who walked in front of her. Her eyes were bright, as if they had their own light inside: the irises possessed a sparkle of a lighter color than the sky, similar to silver, but more tending to light blue. And her gaze was sharp and intense, like what the sun would have had if it had possessed human form. She was wearing a white sleeveless tunic, adorned on the left by a beautiful little periwinkle arabesque.

That was the day Laramie and Isira'ēli met.

Their mothers had chatted amiably while their daughters curiously studied each others, or at least, Taaliah and Igla studied Laramie, while Laramie stared shamelessly at Isira'ēli and vice versa.

To make that day even funnier, Laramie hadn't been able to contain herself when Eda had spoken to her, asking her a question that she had answered with words that were nothing of what she should have said.

“Filia eius valde pulchra est” she whispered, enchanted, without breaking eye contact with the young guardian.

Laramie remembered that moment well because the sun had illuminated the skin of Isira'ēli's face so as to show that behind that resolute and apparently serious expression there was a young Atlará embarrassed and struck by a lightning bolt out of the blue. She clearly understood that phrase was meant for her and not for one of her sisters.

"Ave" The Nàrya suddenly felt full of courage in the face of Isira'ēli's poorly concealed embarrassment and took a step closer, casually swinging towards her, holding her hands behind her back, while the mothers conversed pleasantly.

“Ave” The Atlará averted her gaze then, looking slightly sulky or in a bad mood. Reality was different, Ēli was just too nervous about the physical closeness of the most beautiful girl she ever saw, but Laramie would discover a lot about her in a future that wasn't all that distant.

-.-.-.-

Laramie woke up in the middle of the night, sweating, her heart beating fast in her chest. She raised her head quickly from Ēli's chest, on which she had slept up to that moment, and sat up, feeling as hot as she had been not so many times in the past; that sudden movement woke Isira'ēli, too. The Atlará sat on the bed, joining her consort, placing a hand on her bare back behind her heart.

"Amie, what is it, are you okay?"

“No, no, we have to… we have to go. Now " Laramie shook her head in agitation, the dream just ended still etched in her memory, fresh. She got out of bed and took her clothes, starting to dress. Isira'ēli immediately followed, reaching for her and asking Laramie to raise her gaze pointed to the floor by placing a finger under her chin.

“Laramie, calm down, please. What's going on? Talk to me.” The keeper's face was really worried. She sensed the reason for Laramie's actions, feared her answer, but she had to know what was happening. Especially since it was she who had the power to do something. The ceiling was programmed to lose its transparency during sleeping hours, so they didn't see the color of the sky. If they did, there would be no need to ask questions.

Laramie opened her mouth to speak, but as soon as she parted her lips, the earth shook, and a very intense red light filtered through the window, which illuminated their faces and the entire island of Poseida.

The guardian walked to the window and quickly pulled the curtains aside, revealing the sky above the world, tinged with a dark red color. Her face filled with stupor first, then horror and fright, as did that of Laramie, who had foreseen it but who never wanted to see her vision come true.

"What else have you seen? Laramie, tell me” The keeper began to dress quickly, stumbling, impatient. Her face was hard, her eyes had lost their brightness, and everything in her screamed at her to hurry, faster, to run to the Temple, because it was late now, but not too late. The Nàrya finished dressing with her, very quickly.

“The crystals are gone, Ēli. They took them. All five minors."

The Atlará stopped for just a moment, placing one hand on the wall and rubbing the other over her eyes, reflecting, while a strange red and black ash began to descend from the sky outside the house.

“That is terrible. Come with me. We must go to the Temple"

"I cannot come to the Temple with you, Ēli. If they see us together"

But the other woman took her face between her hands and stared into her eyes, using precious seconds that they didn't have.

“You come where I go. Because I am the Keeper of the Blue Crystal and I will not leave you here just to fulfill my mission. Inside the Temple you’ll be safe. Please"

"Ēli, if they discover us you will be punished"

"Laramie. I do not care. Please."

The earth shook again, more intensely than before. The two women turned to the window, which overlooked the island of Nàryan: the great volcano of the Yellow Crystal was erupting, illuminating the sky above the island with an intense red halo and consequently everything else within a radius of many kilometers.

The blonde shivered, clinging to Laramie's hand, then turned to her, dark in the face.

“Call Igla and Taaliah. Tell them to get the Gems and come to us. Immediately. I’ll wait for you in the Temple."

Isira'ēli ran as fast as she could on the long deserted road. The island had a ghostly appearance, enveloped in the gloomy light of the distant active volcano. Some Atlará came out of their home, confused and frightened. Anyone she met along the path looked at her in dismay, as if they had suddenly found themselves inside a terrible nightmare. She stopped only for a few seconds, ordering everyone to wake up their neighbors, to go to the ports and to go away, away from Poseida. Then she continued on her way at breakneck speed, fighting against time, hoping and praying to get to the Blue Crystal in time.

Meanwhile, Laramie had informed Igla via the family crystal which she had been allowed to access since her wedding day; usually the communication crystals were a tool that could only be used by the Atlará, but Laramie was predisposed to their use unlike the other Nàrya.

The erupting volcano was a sign, anyone knew what its job was: to report natural anomalies and energy imbalances; not the simple ones, which could be solved by some Nàrya, it signaled problems that needed the intervention of an entire people. Fortunately Igla was still awake and had promptly responded to the call of her sister, listening carefully to what she should have done. As soon as they said goodbye, Laramie was called by a very shaken Taaliah.

“They got it, Amie. Cora and Izdaja took the Red Crystal"

Ēli ran up the mountainside, heading for the abode of her Master. It was strange that she hadn't already met him along the way and she was worried; usually Necostan was always the first to notice if something was wrong, as his wisdom and foresight were great. But all along the way she hadn't met a soul, which was a really bad sign.

The earth shook again under the feet, creating a vibration, this time different from the previous ones; it was deeper and higher at the same time. Isira'ēli felt something similar to pressure falling on her, like a large invisible boulder that weighed on her head and shoulders and exponentially increased the weight of her body. She fell on all fours, gasping, feeling the air begin to burn in her throat, in her lungs, and turned around: in the sky, one of the moons that regulated tides, gravity, atmospheric weather and the progress and balance of nature was getting closer, getting bigger and bigger. Laramie's visions were becoming true.

The keeper gritted her teeth, called her inner will, straining her body, forcing it to rise against the force of physics even though she felt absolutely terrified, and she succeeded. With difficulty, but she succeeded, as the sky became brighter and brighter with the approach of the satellite. The dark red color lightened, becoming of the same hue of blood.

Laramie was running fast when she, too, lost her breath, feeling on her body the pressure of the planet coming closer to the orbit of the earth. She fell to her knees as gravity drew her to itself with intensity, denying her to move as she wanted. But a Nàrya's will was strong, stronger than any other existing species, and Laramie's will only wished to rejoin Isira'ēli and help her in any way. So she got up, moved her lungs with her own free will, crushed by that incredible external force and started walking towards the mountain, where Ēli had headed.

Igla and Taaliah arrived in Poseida when the sky was now distorted by red clouds and the dust and volcanic ash of the island of Nàryan already filled the air. They met on the beach, distraught, and they huddled for a brief moment, taken by despondency and fear. Then Igla pulled back her robe, showing her younger sister that she had the Yellow crystal with her. “We have to reach our sister. Not everything is lost"

The earthquake that expanded next under their feet, this time did not stop anymore.

Isira'ēli reached the top of the mountain after a long time, tired as she was. At that altitude the situation was worse, every meter traveled upwards did nothing but increase the magnetic strength of the asteroid which was now within at least ten chilometers from the orbit. If the two gravitational energies had collided it would have been the end, no one could have prevented what would have happened or even reverse the movement of the satellite.

"Master! Necostan!" The keeper's voice came out choked, prived of air, and air was very important to her at the moment since the magnetism emanating from the Blue Crystal was becoming erratic and chaotic: it had stopped producing oxygen for several minutes now, and Ēli could not count on its beneficial energy once she entered. Alone she would never have managed to contain that immense power.

She had to find Necostan, or at least another keeper.

She ran, or at least tried, into the cave, holding one hand at stomach level, to help her diaphragm expand and so breathe better, while her eyes tried to see the rocky road that would lead her to the room of the Blue Crystal. When she finally saw a keeper lying prone on the ground she knelt beside him, thinking he was having difficulty, like her, to breathe.

"Hey, don't worry, it's okay, help yourself with the warmth of your ha-" She turned him to the side, but that Atlará wasn’t in difficulty; he was dead.

The keeper's eyes widened as she saw the trickle of blood fall from the side of his mouth and the glowing eyes of what was just a novice keeper open and lost in the void. In the center of his torso he had a black spot, like soot, but it was not just a simple dirt: that was the action of a magical artifact.

Horrified, Isira'ēli continued on her path, pulling herself to her feet, and the more meters she walked, the more people she found in the same state as the young boy. Not only Atlará, also Nàrya. She did not have time to stop and help them, even though she could have done so with her power, because her Master at that moment was the top priority for her, and surely, where he was, there was also the Blue Crystal.

The closer she got to the main cave, the more she saw the intense blue light, out of control, flashing, and voices that were anything but quiet. Among them she recognized that of Necostan, so she pushed herself and increased her pace, although it was tremendously difficult; a battle was going on inside the cave.

As soon as she set foot inside the space, a wave of blue energy wind, heavy and dense, violently hit her and kept her away from the center. There, next to the now empty pedestal, Necostan held his tall staff and struggled with all his might against a figure disfigured by the light of the Red Crystal. For a moment, Ēli was afraid it was Cora, Laramie's younger sister, but she kept that possibility away as much as she could, until the moment she had no choice but to tell herself the truth. It was Cora.

"Master!! Hold on!" The Keeper challenged every wave of energy that seemed to take shape, using her own spiritual strength along with that of will; she began to walk, step by step, towards the direction of the ancient Atlará which for her was like a father by now, covering her face with the sleeve of the long ceremonial dress, the first she had managed to find in her room shortly before. Necostan turned for just a second at the sound of her voice, telling her she could not risk her life, but that brief moment was enough for the Red Crystal's power to prevail. The figure of Cora, tall and slender, bent forward and hit the chest of the Master of keepers with the sharp tip of the Gem, sinking the diamond halfway, where it was held by the nervous hand of the Nàrya.

The Blue Crystal fell to the ground then, exploding with dark light, which impresses itself in the sight of all present, just as the ears were pervaded by the cry of the young keeper of the Crystal.

"No, no, no, Master!" Isira'ēli found a strength unknown to her within herself and was able to overcome the barrier created by the increasing of intensity and energy. She ran towards the slumped figure of her Master, but when she knelt beside him, his eyes were already losing their immense light.

“Ēli, it is you... Ēli.." The man's voice was calm, he spoke while his pupil tried with trembling hands to cover the wound on his cest. “Do not fear, child. We will meet again. Have you heard me? We still have so much to learn, everyone does. We will meet again..” His words were quiet, he had a very gentle smile on his old face while his body ceased to have energy and life force.

“No, Master.. I am not ready. I cannot stop them alone!”

"Protect the Crystal, girl... now this responsibility is yours. But you are not, and you’ll never be... a-" His voice failed him, he couldn't finish the sentence. The light in his eyes slowly faded like that of a dying sun, his muscles relaxed, and his head rested lifelessly against the keeper's chest.

He was gone.

Isira'ēli, crying and terrified of what was happening, looked up with wide eyes at Cora, standing nearby, surrounded by a halo of tremendous red energy: the young Nàrya no longer looked like the cheerful girl she had once been, now she appeared to be a distorted copy of an impure being, scarred by cruelty and indifference. Beside her appeared Izdaja, one of the First Nàryas, and in his hand he held the Blue Crystal.

What was happening could not be true. Their civilization had always been just, always protected and balanced. Death had never been brought to any living being by a brother or sister, someone had lost their life only because of accidents. This was all incredibly wrong.

Isira'ēli felt a new weight on her shoulders, which was that of the full responsibility of the Crystal, shared up to that moment with her Master, but now that he was gone it was all hers. Her eyes lit up thanks to the energy that began to flow from Necostan's body to hers, but the Keeper felt disgusted by it, as everything was happening caused by something profoundly wrong and not following the right rituals of passage. In Necostan's chest expanded the same dark patch that she had seen on the other keepers along the tunnel.

"It is time, Cora" Izdaja's low voice broke into the confusion of the woman kneeling on the ground, who raised her face to them and clearly noticed the Blue Crystal, the one she had to protect at the cost of her life, in the hands of the ancient Nàrya.

She didn't even think.

Isira'ēli jumped to her feet and, one second before Izdaja and Cora spoke word or intent, both with their hands resting on the most powerful Crystal of all the Islands, she placed her hands on top of theirs, claiming the Custody of the jewel of jewels.

Laramie slowly climbed the slope of the mountain, now perpetually in motion like a continuous earthquake.

A few minutes before she arrived inside the Temple but didn’t find her other half in any room, and that meant only one thing: Isira'ēli went to the Upper Temple. Everybody knew no Nàrya could climb the mountain; everybody still tried, saw that the Crystal sucked their vital energy from their bodies since the beginning of the challenge and just gave up. It wasn’t just a legend. The Nàrya couldn’t do it.

Laramie didn’t care.

The gravel fell and rolled down, making every step difficult and unstable. She squeezed the cloth of her dress with both hands, trying to breathe. As she climbed, the world crushed on her with an unbelievable and unsupportable weight.

What had happened to the world, which was clear and sunny only the day before?

She fell to the ground when she was halfway through, deprived of all strength, but did not stop. She began to climb with her bare hands, scratching her very pale skin, gritting her teeth, her gaze fierce, inserting her fingers into the boiling rock and earth. Yet that mountain was not a volcano. From what was that warmth coming from?

She looked up at the sky, where the red clouds mingled with the black and purple ones in hideous and frightening figures; silent lightning bolts of large dimensions illuminated the sky at times above the smoke that came from the volcano of the island of Nàryan and the ash falling from above continued to rest on the ground in ever greater quantities, in ever greater size. Laramie proceeded, accepting large amounts of boiling air into her mouth, down her throat. She lost her grip on a boulder and the sharp rock caused a deep cut in the palm of her hand, which started to bleed copiously. That pain made it very difficult for her to advance, because breathing was difficult, and breathing non-existent air while in pain was pure torture. She rolled onto her side, moaning faintly, squeezing her eyes. The total lack of saliva didn't even allow her to wet her dry lips, and her body temperature was rising exponentially, in direct contact with the hot earth. Her eyelids were very heavy. Next to her she saw steam rise to the sky, it must have been the water inside the mountain, the one that reached the walls of the laboratories and every room of the Temple, downstream, where she usually worked.

She cast a new look at the sky, so different from that of the Poseida she knew and loved for hundreds of years... that island was the largest and most powerful of the Three, summer never left that land, but it was never too hot or too stormy. The sky loved that clear blue too much, always devoid of dark clouds. She remembered the day she had seen it for the first time, and the seagulls had flown over her, in a circle, singing, asking her to admire that wonder, before, before she saw...

Ēli. She had to go to Ēli. She had to reach her. Help her.

The high temperature and the pain, added to the heavy sense of gravity and the fact that she was a Nàrya on the mountain that none of her species was allowed to or could not even climb... were making her delirious.

If she even died in the attempt, it would be worth it.

She turned again, trying to get on all fours and overcome the gravitational force that was pushing her against the earth, but her people possessed less spiritual strength than the Atlarás, so it was really impossible for her to return to an upright position. Not that it was that important; she began to crawl, using all the strength arms and legs possessed. Her mind did not know, but it was her love and perseverance that was giving her what no one else of her kind was or ever would be able to do. The strenght to climb the great Mountain of the Blue Crystal, where only the Keepers could go.

"Laramie!"

Two voices came from behind her, very close. They had called her other times, but the woman had her ears almost completely blocked due to the overwhelming force pressing on her.

"Laramie, what are you doing here, are you crazy!?" Igla knelt beside her, bringing her very heavy arm around her neck, thus managing to pull her up by force, even though she was already struggling to keep herself upright. Taaliah also helped her, being an Atlará and therefore stronger.

"If you get too close to that crystal you will die, Amie, go back!"

"No, no!” Laramie yelled, then losing all the air she gathered inside her lungs, not being able to move a muscle. “.. Ēli, I have to go to her" she couldn't even get away from them, or move her feet, or keep her eyes wide open, as her physical strength was almost nil. She let the keeper's sisters accompany her to the entrance to the cave, literally dragging her immobile body and making her sit on the ground when they arrived. Then, as she collapsed, crushed by the weight of gravity, she tried to tell them not to leave her there but to take her to her love. Igla and Taaliah hastened to reassure her.

“Amie, we'll go to Ēli. You cannot go inside. And then we'll all leave together, did you hear me? Resist, please" Igla put a hand on her cheek, trying to appear courageous and fearless, but the affection she felt for her sister's partner was too big to make her succeed in that undertaking.

So, the two Atlará caught their breath and ran, uncoordinated and stumbling towards the crystal cave, where the blue light came from with a never seen intensity and the fate of the world was being discussed with actions. Laramie pushed herself to the ground, banging her head, not caring once again about the pain, just to be able to see inside the stone tunnel, dimly lit by the distant and powerful blue light.

Every atom inside her body expanded and imploded at the same time. Her conscience burned like fire.

Touching the Blue Crystal was forbidden to anyone, the souls of those who had chosen to enter the crystals were the only ones who had ever touched them, and never left the place hidden within. Izdaja screamed in pain, as did Cora, both being Nàrya, but they did not let go, and their wills were one, and the earth trembled more than before, the air became incandescent, the whole island coasts were invaded by very high waves.

"It's working, Cora, it works!" Among the very high pitched hisses emanating from the Crystal, similar to the sound of pure electricity, the voice of Izdaja was heard, crazy and uncontrolled. Cora was young though, and it didn't take long for her life force to start being sucked into the Crystal. Together, they were controlling every other crystal, as well as nature itself, but also the satellite in the sky, which was getting closer and closer, closer and closer.

“Stop.. stop!! I beg you!" Isira'ēli found her voice somehow, clutching the crystal, pulling it towards her, while the blue waves emanating from the jewel hit all three, unbalancing them and pressing on their bodies. That energy was truly coming out of the invisible realm to become tangible, thick and intense.

"If you keep going" The keeper caught her breath, very tired, but she didn't give up even for a second, keeping her will strong; she forced herself to remain still, alone against two. "We will all die!"

Izdaja ignored her, however, turning her head to Cora, who was the most devastated at that moment.

“Cora, you have to be the one to do it! Get it out!"

What is he talking about, Ēli thought, staring at the Gem becoming more and more intense, its light blue mixed with red. Then, truth hit her: they were using the other crystal to force the spirit that lived inside the Blue out. To kill it, to have full control.

“Ēli!”

Two more people appeared in the cave and they were Isira'ēli’s sisters, keepers of the Red and the Yellow. Tired and sweaty, both women started walking in their direction, but now the energy was way more intense than the one before.

“Stay back!” The keeper's voice overtook the sound emanating from the Crystal and made herself heard by the newcomers, who promptly stopped and listened. She couldn't let those two hurt them or the spirit. She could not.

She had to save them, had to save everyone.

A single second passed and her thoughts flew to Laramie, wondering where she was; but if her sisters were there, that meant her love was safe, right?

There was no time now to distract. Saving the spirit inside the crystal was the priority.

Cora began to pull an invisible hand, but Ēli stopped her with the thought alone.

Cora pulled harder, but Ēli still wouldn't let her, keeping the Jewel towards her and screaming for that incredible effort. Meanwhile, Igla and Taaliah had begun to challenge the waves of energy and were reaching their sister, aware that she would never make it alone. Before they were close enough to help her, however, Izdaja got impatient and helped Cora in her task, forcibly pulling the spirit out of the crystal, bringing it back into the real world, and the keeper, exhausted, could not fight alone against a young woman full of energy and one of the Firsts.

The Nàrya saw the crystal deform and lengthen until a human figure took shape in its light and it was thrown to the ground, where it remained motionless, as if unconscious.

The Crystal started to vibrate uncontrollably between her hands, signal of the imminent coming of unknown consequences. Isira'ēli was on the verge of breaking her jaw, gritting her teeth, resisting, resisting, _resisting_. That was the only word she could think about, in addition to the constant fired image of Laramie and her two sisters inside her brain.

I have to save them. I have to save them.

Everyone.

It is my job.

If they die, nothing will make sense.

She was thinking only of that.

With a fast look she saw the figure lying on the ground, next to her feet: it was a man. He had long dark hair and beard, their skin was the same color, and on his forehead the jewel had been worn for so long that it was integrated into the body.

“Ah, my friend... you haven't aged a day, unlike me” Izdaja spat in his direction, still holding the Red crystal with one hand and surrounding Cora’s body with the other. Then he let the girl hold the Blue and, transfigured, took hold of the Red, ready to kill the unconscious Atlará man with it.

For Isira'ēli, that moment felt very strange. All her life she had never had a more important mission than that of protecting the Blue Crystal; yet, in that only second, her ancestor's life seemed to her the most important thing. Looking at him, she felt Laramie's heartbeat beside her heart. And she also heard that of the man lying on the ground.

She saw herself as a young girl, running on the fresh grass, hugging her father.

She blinked, feeling invigorated with a strange force, as if it came from the future.

She blinked again, and saw Laramie out of the cave, safe, still alive.

And then the Red crystal, hitting the man with only one intent: to kill.

The keeper, against all expectations, let go of the Blue Crystal, leaving it to Cora's hands alone.

She threw herself on the ground, protecting the man lying there with her own body.

The red jewel hit her back instead of his.

She felt the pain instead of him.

And it was with that act that the life of Phorcys, one of the First Atlará, was saved by Isira'ēli, his descendant.

Igla and Taaliah could not do anything while the crystal stabbed their sister, not even move. Air was lost, strenght was gone. The harder they tried running, the less they succeeded.

Izdaja's face corroded with rage, his body was invaded by violent tremors now that he was no longer in possession of neither the Red nor the Blue. He quickly went back to Cora, reaching out to the Jewel that controlled everything.

Laramie's younger sister, however, was no longer herself. Naive, inexperienced and lacking in the strength naturally possessed by a Keeper, she let herself be overwhelmed by the Crystal, her eyes were pervaded by light and her body was colored blue from the inside. She pushed the Crystal away from the Nàrya's grasp with a firm and impassive expression.

"What, what are you doing, Cora..?" Izdaja fell on one knee, exhausted, now old and marked by the pure energy in front of him. Cora spoke in a voice that was not hers but was similar to that of the Gods. The Crystal had ignited in her what, until that very moment, only Laramie in her family had so strong, stronger even than Zea, their mother. It was foresight.

“The end of this world is about to come and you can't do anything to stop it. We have caused it, as we will cause it in the future, a distant future that no one can imagine yet. The Goddess gives everyone a chance, but you threw it to the wind. And... and I did too" Her eyes narrowed, as if the girl could still possess her conscience and understand the meaning of those mighty words. "Destiny is written. We have to let it go and meet again and again, life after life, to finish what we started. Until balance will prevail"

After that, the Crystal lit up with blinding light, Cora was thrown back and no one could get close to the gem anymore.

The walls of the cave trembled dangerously, and this time the movement involved the whole mountain, the whole island, everything.

The satellite had entered the earth's orbit, it was too late.

The blue energy that had kept Igla and Taaliah away disappeared, sucked into the crystal, which remained in mid-air, vibrant and warmer than light itself. Thus, the two sisters managed to reach Ēli, who was still protecting the motionless body of the one who had been the keeper of the Crystal for hundreds and hundreds of years. They saw the deep wound in her back and tried to heal it as fast as they could, both using the powers learned during the apprenticeship, but that wound did not heal, did not close, and a black halo began to expand from its sides.

Isira'ēli groaned in pain, managing to slowly move thanks to the help of the other two, in tears, dismayed.

"Where is Laramie, where is she?" The Keeper blinked slowly with concentration, trying to bring the world into focus, while every sound was eaten and crushed by what the convergence of the atmospheres of the two planets was creating. There was no trace of Cora and Izdaja. They had fled as soon as the crystal had thrown the girl away and, at the moment, the Nàrya was running down the mountain, carrying Laramie's dying sister in his arms. He took a road that was invisible to many.

“She is fine, she's… she's out, Ēli. We have to take you away from here, we will take you both away, can you get up?" Taaliah stroked her increasingly paler face, looking out of the corner of her eye at the great stain of blood that spread behind her back on the rocky ground.

But the Keeper was not stupid, she felt what was happening, and she knew what was going to happen.

She leaned against Igla, who moved her lips in search of something to say, and breathed slowly, looking at everything around her calmly. Then she lowered her eyes to the terrified ones of her younger sister and smiled faintly.

“Don't be silly, little sister. You know we won’t do that. You heard, too."

But the girl shook her head, shaking as the earth did, as some rocks already began to fall from the ceiling.

“Someone has to control the Crystal,”

“No, stop. No”

“..stop the satellite.”

“Stop talking, sister. You are coming with us!”

“You feel it too, right?" Ēli looked at them both, one after the other. Her expression was calm.

The two shook their heads, dark-faced, angry and frustrated, as Igla tried to pull up her sister's body as she had done earlier with her partner on the side of the mountain. But Ēli wasn't as compliant as Amie had been.

“No, Igla, that's enough. You have to go. Go. Please... bring him too" She pointed to the man lying on the ground next to her. “He is still alive. I’m begging you, now... save Laramie. Take her away. I am the only one who can allow you to escape. And you both know it.”

"No! No way. You come with us" Igla bit her lips until they bled, she continued to take Isira'ēli’s body but her sister continued to push her hands away with the little strength she had left.

"Igla, please... save Laramie, take her away." She coughed, chasing her away, but Igla didn't give up.

"No! Come with us!"

"Igla.."

"No, shut up"

"Igla!" Her sister's gaze grew hot with will, and the older woman paused.

"Igla, she.. she is right" Taaliah placed a hand on the older sister’s arm, squeezing her tunic, without holding back her tears. “Everything is falling apart… we must save the crystals and we can still save someone. She is the Keeper, Igla, we can't do anything.."

Isira'ēli smiled sweetly at her, then shifted her gaze to that of her older sister once again.

“Please. Save Laramie. Take her away... the wounds of the Red don’t heal. If I came with you we'd all die, and my life wouldn't make sense. If I stay here, you will live. Please. Do it for me" Isira'ēli did not know if she was crying because the sensitivity of her body was slowly fading, but when she saw herself reflected in Igla's shining eyes, she knew that they were all crying.

That was a goodbye.

At least, if Laramie lived, that sacrifice would not have been in vain.

When her sisters finally decided to leave her, taking the unconscious guardian with them, Isira'ēli placed her palms on the ground, finally catching her breath. It wasn't easy, the wound in her back was deep and most likely pierced her lung, but since the force of the Crystal was no longer there and the collision of the gravity of the two planets had created a pressure hole right above them, she managed to get up, even if with difficulty. She flexed, moaning, and moved her legs without feeling them, her determined and blurred gaze on the Blue Crystal. With slow and tired movements she approached it slowly, reaching out her hands, feeling on the palms the immense and deadly heat. But she didn't stop, nor was she intimidated by the fear of death. She wasn't afraid of dying.

Her skin touched the very cold, or very hot -it was impossible to understand- surface of the diamond, every bit of life force possessed in the body was sucked by it, capture by it, since the crystal was asking for a spirit to bring inside, being now empty. But that would have done nothing: if she had entered, becoming the new keeper, she could not have slowed down its power, as it was possible to do only from the outside. So she began to do everything in her power to reverse the course of the planet, now in free fall in the atmosphere, while everything around her became clear and her life started to disappear towards that blue jewel.

Igla and Taaliah emerged at the end of the tunnel accompanied by a man they were carrying together. Laramie waited a few seconds before talking, rising on her scratched elbows, pushing her head up to see if Isira'ēli was with them, but with every step taken by the two guardians, darkness was the only thing that appeared behind them.

"Laramie, can you get up?" Taaliah left her older sister, more robust than her, the responsibility of keeping the man’s weight, and squatted next to her sister's other half.

"Where is Ēli? Where is Ēli? " Amie squeezed her arms tightly, hurting her, widening her eyes, but Taaliah just frowned and pursed her lips. “She will join us later, she... asked to take you down with us. Laramie, come on, there is no time, we have to get away from the island” She pulled her up using all her strength, as Laramie did not seem capable of supporting herself, being so close to that place forbidden for every Nàrya. The two sisters exchanged a determined sad look and nodded, proceeding downhill on the steep ridge of the mountain.

"No, no... where is Ēli? Whe-where... is she coming? When? Why you left her there?” Laramie stepped away from Taaliah, regaining strength as the altitude decreased. With it she also regained some more mental clarity as her blood began to flow better inside the body. Taaliah approached, trying to help her despite Laramie's refusal, but the Nàrya moved away, turning her head toward the top of the mountain as she continued to descend with the sisters of the Keeper, her companion. So Taaliah returned close to Igla, taking the man's arm and passing it around her neck, thus helping.

"She will come, Laramie. Come now!"

Laramie followed them from behind, turning her head to the opening in the mountain, further and further away.

“I want to know what happened in there. Tell me everything. Everything” Her voice trembled, her bare feet slipped slightly on the loose and hot rock of the mountain, Taaliah and Igla looked over the man’s head abandoned on the chest and avoided showing what their soul was begging them to do: abandon to the ground and mourn the sacrifice of their sister. Igla was the one with more strength and control, so she spoke, explaining, detailing part of the truth; she explained to Laramie what had happened to her sister, what Izdaja had done, about the little leg injury Ēli got, and the Keeper's attempt to put the Crystal back in place. She shamelessly lied, her younger sister nodded all the time, letting silent hidden tears roll down her cheeks, neither dared to turn their heads to look Laramie in the eyes, the woman from whom they were hiding the worst reality she could imagine.

If only they knew.

If only they had known that Laramie, the exact moment Igla had started speaking, had turned around and started climbing the mountain again.

Against certain death,

against an unbearable heaviness.

All to do what was her destiny: remain by the side of the one she loved, until the very end.

When Taaliah and Igla turned their heads, by now near the lower Temple of the great mountain, it was too late. Laramie was gone, and they never saw her again.

-.-.-.-.-.-

_Sh_ _e would have liked to see the sky one last time_ _,_

_t_ _he sky of Poseida, blue beyond imagination._

_That was the blue from which all the blues were born._

_Still, she would have gladly exchanged the vision of the sky with the certainty of Laramie brought to safety,_

_a_ _way from there._

_Sh_ _e squeezed the crystal, hot_ _._

_Maybe that was the heat of magma_ _, but now it didn’t matter._

_H_ _er_ _mission was that, and it was going well._

_Save the crystal, save innocent lives, h_ _er_ _sisters._

_Save Laramie._

_Sh_ _e_ _could_ _no longer fe_ _el_ _h_ _er_ _hands, they were now one with the_ _gem_ _._

_Her conscience began to fade into thin air, her senses abandon_ _ing_ _her_ _._

_No._

_No,_ _s_ _he had to remain vigilant._ _Sh_ _e was supposed to slow the fall of the satellite._

_If she tried hard enough, the others would be able to escape,_

_t_ _hey would run away, they would take the crystals_ _away_ _, at least the ones left,_

_a_ _nd they would live._

_Laramie would live._

_Sh_ _e screamed, clutching the_ _Blue_ _, and for a few seconds the planet truly slowed, pushed away by the consciousness of a_ _single_ _Atlará keeper, whose power exceeded that of many, past and future._

_But her_ _bones were crumbling, the heat was terrible,_

_i_ _t choked her._

_The weight was starting to push her into the rock. Not on h_ _er_ _knees, because h_ _er_ _legs would have broken before_ _s_ _he fell._

_H_ _er_ _arms would be_ _destroyed_ _before_ _s_ _he let go._

_The planet slowed down,_ Isira'ēli _smiled faintly, full of pride._ _But_ _the light_ _surrounding her_ _came closer._

_Strength failed her, breath as well, as she thought failure came mercilessly just when she had conceded herself that small, quick and ephemeral victory._

_And_ _the light,_ _once made that_ _new step, did_ _one_ _backwards._

_It didn't make sense._

_Death never went away._

_Yet there_ _it was_ _, taking a step back, giving her time, giving her strength,_

_t_ _o slow down the_ _coming of the_ _end._

_But it wasn't death that had changed_ _its_ _mind_ _._

_No, it was_ _Laramie_ _._

_The woman had reached the cave, her Half, and_ _had pushed_ _death_ _away_ _by p_ _lacing h_ _er_ _hands on top of_ Isira'ēli _'s._

_No Nàrya could have done that._

_The keeper saw her figure silhouetted in the immense light emanating from the Blue Crystal, and she thought she was already dead_ _, e_ _ven though h_ _er_ _body ached from top to bottom_ _,_ _h_ _er_ _consciousness still seemed to possess a body._

_The Nàrya woman was an alluctination, was she coming to take and bring her in another world?_

_Laramie squeezed her hands, her face disfigured with pain, the kind that any N_ _à_ _rya would_ _have_ _fel_ _t_ _if_ _they_ _ever tried_ _to be there, let alone_ _touch_ _the Blue Crystal._

_But she was smiling. She was there._

_"Laramie"_ _The_ Atlará _found her voice just to say the word,_

_her name._

_They were both still alive._

_The brunette smiled at her, going beyond pain_ _and prohibitions_ _,_ _willingly giving her life to the keeper to use,_ _and_ _stepped_ _closer_ _._

_B_ _ut_ _she_ _f_ _ell_ _to her knees_ _then_ _, tormented by the immense heat of the Crystal_ _, which was devouring her soul_ _._

_Ēli also knelt down,_ _whispering the woman’s name,_ _taking the crystal_ _down between their bodies._

_Their_ _forehead_ _s touched, the keeper pushed_ _against that of_ _Laramie_ _, weeping._

_H_ _er_ _love_ _was there._ _Why_ _._

_"Laramie,_ _why_ _"_

_"I will not live alone, Ēli"_

_They both started to feel incredibly tired._

_The Atlará, who had closed h_ _er_ _eyes, shedding tears of anger and awareness, reopened them, fixing them in the calm ones of the one_ _s_ _he loved._

_"_ _I only wished for you to be safe. You were meant to live_ _"_

_The crystal sucked in their lives from moment to moment, but together they gave the_ _ir_ _sisters more time to escape._ _The keeper alone would have never managed to._

_“_ _I am meant to live with you._ _I will not live_ _._ _.. alone,_ Isira'ēli _"_

_Laramie moved one hand, placing her palm on the keeper’s wet cheek._

_The_ _guardian_ _shook her head,_ _hurt, content, but also angry and heartbroken._

_Her sisters didn't take her away, they_ _betrayed_ _..._

_No, what was_ _s_ _he thinking?_

_It was Laramie who decided to come back._

_Gods listened to her last, intimate desire: to see one last time the love of -she was sure- all her lives._

_Her lungs and her throat burned, forcing her to cough._

_Laramie squeezed her hand tightly with all_ _the will_ _that was left in her body._

_“If you live, I will live with you._

_If you go away, I will always find you._

_But if you die..."_ _H_ _er_ _lips trembled._

_H_ _ers_ _was not sadness,_

_just_ _a simple awareness._

_She closed her eyes, knowing it wasn’t their end._

_"... I die with you."_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The power of the Crystal was strong. Too strong for one Atlará and one Nàrya.

Those were the last words Poseida heard before the Crystal imploded into itself, losing all control, and the satellite crashed onto the earth, destroying Poseida, Og and Nàryan, as well as all the other islands within a radius of thousands of kilometers. Nobody managed to escape that fate. Nobody was fast enough.

The Red and Yellow gems fell, sinking into the ocean, welcomed by the deepest and most unexplored abysses, and were never found again.

Waves rose, the sky shook.

New lands emerged, new mountains were created. The plains became deserts, the oceans divided, becoming seas, and the water that fell from the sky in the following years created lakes and rivers, and modified the planet, transforming it as the one Spirits and Humans know today.

Nature separated in consciousness from the eight crystals, taking shape, being born,

and the stars turned for the first time towards that small world that had moved so much inside the cosmos in just a few blinks of eternity. From then on, they never took their eyes away from it, following closely every story. They started by studying and understanding what it had been in the past.

Of Poseida, the Mighty Island, only ruins remained, lost in the open ocean. No sailor ever found them.

A new era became, the era of two new species. Humans and Spirits.

But one thing remained and still is a mystery,

which secrets and dynamics are known only by the Goddess.

When the Blue Crystal imploded between the hands of those who were remembered by stars -thanks to their sacrifice- among the Firsts, (the legend can be read inside very few and archaic books that are now found in remote corners of the libraries of the Spirits), something was not lost.

The Crystal imploded, yes, but something was created in its place by something, a power that is not comprehensible by any existing law.

A seed.

The seed of a principle, the same principle that had saved the essence of the Crystal, its pure and luminous heart:

It was the love of one Atlará and one Nàrya, equal in power and meaning.

That seed, still not possessing a solid body in the following years after the end of the ancient world, was the first living thing that saw the light of the sun and that of the moon, a twin satellite to the one that fell on earth.

That seed is the only thing left alive and intact as it was from that time

and it wandered for many long years on the surface of the sea,

kissed by the sun, takin its core, until it reached the earth.

On which, finally, it sprouted, until it blossomed.

It wasn't just any bud: it was the most beautiful, because it was a symbol.

Its red petals were tinged with gold for the sunlight was captured by each of them,

the magic of the moon impressed its own silver mark on that flower, giving it the halo, consecrating it to those who fought, who believed in that seed.

It was a rose that was born on earth,

and that rose waited thousand and thousand more years before seeing again the hands of those who had conceived it.

It waited patiently.

It expanded, it was caught, it was planted,

It never died, waiting.

And one day, finally, fate was ready: in two distant but close places,

a Spirit was born. One year before a Human.

Scylla came into the world first, the one who had met certain death with her head held high, whose sacrifice would be remembered forever, in the heart of the Goddess. The Heir to whom a great story belonged. The reincarnation of Laramie.

Shortly after, Raelle followed, opening her eyes for the first time in that new body much less strong than her first

but no less courageous, deprived of the memory and weight of an ancient world. Her soul would always have been the keeper of the ancient power, and her heart would have used it forever for the sake of all.

As Necostan had said, everyone would meet again and the prophecy that Cora had been the spokesperson for had turned out to be true. The lives of all who had been present that day were unequivocally linked, and the time for reckoning would come, sooner or later.

_It is said, among the stars, that the Rose of the Sun,_

_First among the flowers,_

_cannot_ _die if caught from the hands of those who had created it._

_Living beings_ _don't know this,_

_b_ _ut in the cosmos the story has been told since ancient times,_

_And_ _when the_ _day_ _comes,_ _it will finally be revealed to those who were_ _and still are_ _the protagonists._

**Author's Note:**

> So.  
> I started working on this since the end of october, because every character is a reincarnation, yes. The names are not casual. I took every name and searched for other names that had the same meaning.  
> Relle is of course Isira'ēli (because of the meaning Israel)  
> Scylla is of course Laramie, because (tricky, her name means "to tear/tears" as "tearing apart", but since i couldn't find any name that meant the same thing, I chose to use the verb "tear" as a noun instead. And for this reason, Laramie means "tears of love". Because let's be honest, Scylla gave up everything for her love at the end.)  
> For the other characters it was a bit easier, everyone had another name I could use that had the same meaning.  
> Abigail: Igla  
> Tally: Taaliah  
> Glory: Ære  
> Sarah: Cora  
> (fun fact. Zea is another name for Hecate, that means they were mother and daughter even back then. Eda is, in fact, Edwin, because being of another sex in a past rencarnation is canon. Same thing for Glory, she was a cute boi back then. I added the old good Izdaja, because why not. I'm happy I completely forgot about Porter, because /MOOD/. And I decided to let Phorcys have the same name because it was a good "OH" moment for you. Also, fun fact. Phorcys was Zea's lover back in the days, because darlings always find each other life after life. SO you may ask "Does that mean Isira'eli/Raelle and Laramie/Scylla are related"? Well....not really. This world is very strange and many others came before Eli, in the lineage of Phorcys. (Elves are more related than them) If you wonder why Laramie is pretty much the same age Eli is even if her father was inside the crystal, well, remember this is a fantasy world, and they had...methods, to not get pregnant until they wished to. Also, dream realms are a canon thing in this universe and you can do a lot of things if you're well trained, if you know what i mean)


End file.
